CIHM 

ICMH 

Microfiche 

Collection  de 

Series 

microfiches 

(Monographs) 

(monographles) 

Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Instltut  car...       .  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes  /  Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  haz  ittempted  to  obtain  the  best  original 
copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this  copy  which 
may  be  bibliographically  unique,  which  may  alter  any  of 
the  images  in  the  reproduction,  or  which  may 
significantly  change  the  usual  method  of  filming  are 
checked  below. 


0 


Coloured  covers  / 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged  / 


Couverture  endommagee 


□    Covers  restored  and/or  laminated  / 
Couverture  restauree  et/ou  pelliculee 

Cover  title  missing  /  Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

I I    Coloured  maps  /  Cartes  geographiques  en  couleur 

I      I    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)  / 


D 


Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations  / 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material  / 
Relie  avec  d'autres  documents 


Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  edition  disponible 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion  along 
interior  margin  /  La  reliure  serree  peut  causer  de 
I'ombre  ou  de  la  distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge 
interieure. 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restorations  may  appear 
within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these  have  been 
omitted  from  filming  /  Use  peut  que  certaines  pages 
blanches  ajoutees  lors  d'une  restauration 
apparaissent  dans  le  texte,  mais,  lorsque  cela  etait 
possible,  ces  pages  n'ont  pas  ete  filmees. 


L'Institut  a  microfilme  le  meilleur  exemplaire  qu'il  lui  a 
ete  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details  de  cet  exem- 
plaire qui  sont  peut-etre  uniques  ou  point  de  vue  bibli- 
ographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier  une  image  reproduite, 
ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une  modification  dans  la  metho- 
de  normale  de  filmage  sont  indiques  ci-dessous. 

Coloured  pages  /  Pages  de  couleur 

I I    Pages  damaged  /  Pages  endommagees 


D 

0 

D 
0 


Pages  restored  and/or  laminated  / 
Pages  restaurees  et/ou  pelliculees 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed  / 
Pages  decolorees,  tachetees  ou  piquees 

Pages  detached  /  Pages  detachees 

Showthrough  /  Transparence 


n    Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Qiialite  inegale  de  I'impression 


D 


D 


Includes  supplementary  material  / 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata  slips, 
tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to  ensure  the  best 
possible  image  /  Les  pages  totalement  ou 
partiellement  obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une 
pelure,  etc.,  ont  ete  filmees  a  nouveau  de  fagon  a 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 

Opposing  pages  with  varying  colouration  or 
discolourations  are  filmed  twice  to  ensure  the  best 
possible  image  /  Les  pages  s'opposant  ayant  des 
colorations  variables  ou  des  oecolorations  sont 
filmees  deux  fcis  afin  d'obtenir  la  meilleure  image 
possible. 


Additional  comments  / 
Commentaires  supplementaires: 


Pagination   is   as   follows: 


p.    29-40. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  bek  y  / 

Ce  document  est  (ilme  au  taux  de  reduction  irilque  ci-u.ssous. 


10x 

14x 

18x 

22x 

26x 

30x 

-. 

J 

1 

1 

12x 


16x 


20x 


24x 


28x 


32x 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 


L'exemplaire  filmd  tut  reproduit  grdce  &  la 
g^n.^.ositd  de: 


Legislative  Library 
Victoria 


Legislative  Library 
Victoria 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet6  de  l'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformit6  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  ar'<  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrr'    d  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropi     i      All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning,      •  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illusTiated  impression. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  co'iverture  en 
papier  est  imprim6e  sont  film6s  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soil  par  la 
derni^re  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film6s  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — »-  (meaning    'CON- 
TINUED "),  or  the  symbol  V  (meaning    "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
derni^re  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — »-  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbole  V  signifie   "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  3nd  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  etre 
film6s  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diff^rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  etre 
reproduii  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  film^  A  partir 
de  Tangle  sup^rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  i  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n^cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


1 

2 

3 

1  2  3 

4  5  6 


MICROCOPY    RESOIUTION    TEST    CHART 

^NSI  unci  liO  TESI   CHART  Nc     / 


1.0    " 


m  MM 

3? 


I.I 


12.2 

I:  us,   III  2.0 


1.25 


!!!  1.4 


I  1.8 
1.6 


^      -IPPLIED  ifvMGE     Inc 


!   1,1    Mo.      _>,„• 
*SI»*.  Ne*   'Of.        1.609       USA 
♦82  -  0300  ^  P.-.., 


SUPPLEMKxN'TAKV    ()B8EK\AT1UN8    UN    THE 

DEVELOPMENT    OF    THE    CANADIAN 

OYSTER 


J.  8TAFF0H1).  M.A.,   Pii.D. 

NEW    YORK 

1 
» 

191L' 

i, 

[B*print«d.  wiltiout  eHknga  of  paging  from  tlie  AhibicaX  N'atukaust,  1912  J 

^■\ 

i^ 

\ 

7^ 

A  ' 

-X 

W 

^> 

^,,           _                                                      _i 

H^'^ 

t^^s-'-  -  -4/ 

^  M 

REFFRENCI 


T&SFr:^,. 


E'tiSlAMVE   I  iHHAHv  .,(  HHIIiSH  LOI  <,IMBI 


<\y 


3  3298  00085  3813 


I  Kpphntml  fri>in  Trk  Amkrican   Nati'RAI.iht,  Vol.  Xl.VI  .   .Ian  .  Ifll'-'l 


SUl'l'LKMKXTAUY    OUSKHVATK  »NS    OX    THK 

DKVKI.OPMHNT    UK    TlIK    CANADIAN 

OYSTKK 

J.   STAKKOKI),   M  A..   l'ii.l». 

RinTXMiicM.  St\tm)v.   Dki-abtirk  BA^.   H.   C. 

In  tlic  Amkhk  AN  Xaiihalist  of  ■lisiuDuy.  IIM)"),  Janu- 
ary, 1!»0!),  June,  liUO,  I  liave  fjiveii  s(  iiic  account  of  obser- 
vations (in  1!)04)  on  tiie  (U'velopnu-iit  of  tlit'  oyster  at 
Malpe(|ne.  Hiclmiond  Hay,  I'rince  Ivlward  Island, Canada. 

()l)l)ortunity  to  verify,  continue,  and  extend  tiiese  i-l)- 
servations  was  again  alYorded  in  HMI!>,  when  I  studied 
tiie  ovster  in  tiie  most  ini|H>rtaiit  ceiiteis  aloii<r  tlie  east 
coast  of  New  Brunswick. 

In  tile  present  suninier,  i:tll,  lieiiig  oceui)ied  at  the 
Pacific  J^ioioiricai  Station  of  Canada,  in  Oeiiarture  l?ay. 
near  Xanainio,  Vancouver  Island,  I  have  the  privilege  of 
observing  some  of  the  Prince  Kdward  Island  oyster.^ 
transplanted  to  this  vicinity  in  IDO'),  as  well  as  adding  to 
my  ac(iuaintance  the  little  British  Columbia  oyster,  so 
(litTerent  in  size,  apiiearance.  habits  and  reproduction. 

In  the  intermediate  years,  not  being  located  in  oyster 
regions,  I  devoted  a  good  deal  of  time  to  other  bivalvo- 
larva'.  largely  with  a  view  to  making  my  studies  of  the 
oyster  more  secure,  the  main  results  of  which  have  been 
given  in  a  paper  "On  the  Recogniticm  of  Hivalve  Larva? 
in  Plankton  Collections,"  unreasonably  delayed  in  publi 
cation  at  Ottawa. 

In  all  this  work  1  have  kejit  samiije  i)reservations  witli 
dates  and  localities,  which  liave  often  i)r()ved  of  great 
service  in  judging  of  questions  that  subsequently  arose. 

My  first  work  began  where  that  of  Brooks  left  off,  and 
showed  for  the  first  time  that  later  stages  of  the  oyster- 
larva  undoubtedly  exist,  and  when,  where  and  how  they 

20 


9862B 


PH'JVINCIAL    LIBRARY 
VICTORIA.  B.  C. 


"."  ;j 


.~i-~-~;    ^  . 


:i(i 


////      I  Ml  HI'    1  \    \   W/.'  1/  /-/ 


Vol,   \I,VI 


■'•-.\ 
■'ii 


IllilV    lir    I)rc>''U|-c.|.    Jl^    Wril    ;i~    the    Irllirtll    "I'   tln'    |irlliMl    iif 

tlifir  I'liT  -wiiiiiniiitf  lil'f.    'I'lii'  liirvM'  i>liliii I  liv   I'.rnok-. 

1,'ii'.'.  I{\(1.T.  Win-low.  anil  utlicr-  w-tc  ol.tiiint'd  by  nil 
liiif  riHin  rci-tili/.t  il  •■i;u>.  anil  wnr  at  innvt  ^i\  <lii>-  nM. 
anil  in  tlic  >nun'4  -fi-ai;:,lit  hinv,''-  -lairc     In  Ijirnpi'  iar\a- 
lit'  a  similar  afjfc,  >i/.i'  ami  -tiurtiin'  liiul  Ih'imi  lakfii  from 
tlic  intra  liraiii'liial  cavity  of  tiic  parent  i)y>tfr  hy  Da- 
\ainf.    i.ai-a/r  Dutliirr-.   (  o-t.',    !»«•    la    IJlan-in'T.'.   (i\v>ii 
.l.'ffrii-.  Saumli  r-,  Saltiisky.  MilMiis.  Ilnrst  anil  Iln\lt'y. 
lint  tlic  oilier,  latei-  oi-  laryer  -ta>,'es  were  unite  unknown. 
'I'lii-  left   room  for  -nine  -pei  niatioii  a-  to  tlie  exact   time, 
place  ami  manner  in  wliidi  tlie  -ncceeilinir  --fai^'es  stioiiM 
lie  fnuinl.  a-  well  a-  occa-ioiicil  the  prevalent  mi>take  tliat 
the   free   larva    -ettle-   ili.wn   at    tlii>   peiiml   to   iieeome  a 
lisi.il  -|ial,     r.rook-  wrote.  ••.Ml  m>   attempts  to  i;'et  later 
-taue-  than  tlie-e  faileil   .   .   .  ami   1  am  therefore  unahle 
to  ili-crihe  the  manner  in   which  the  --wimniinu-  emhrvo 
hccome-  converted   into  the  adult.   Imt    1    hope  that   tlii- 
uap  will  he  tilled,  eitlier  l>y  future  oIis.m'v  atioii-  of  my  own 
or  hv   those  of  some  other  eiiihrv  olouist."     In  a  similar 
way  dack-oii.  at  a  later  period,  speak-  of  --a  Idaiik  in  the 
kilowledl,'e    of    the    developmelit     of    the    oy-te.."       'i'his 
•■iraii"  or  ••hiaiik""  i-  now  coinpletelv    filled       .M  v    -tudies 
jirove  that   the  larva  continues  to  live  a>  a  larva  in  the 
-ea  water    almut    oyster-heds    for    two    or    three    weeks 
loiiirer.  where  it  swim<  nliont.  feeds,  firows  and  ehanj^os 
in   structure,  and  that   it   tirst   -ettles  down  to  hecoiiu'  a 
M'dentary   spat,   lixed  to  >liell>  or  other  olijects.  at   an 
a.^-e  of  three  to  fiuir  wi'ek-  from  fertili/ation      the  lemrth 
of  time  deliendim;'  to  some  extent  on  temperature,  food, 
individuality  or  >ncli  causes.     This  information  lias  been 
trained    through    the    method    of   piocurinu'    ov>ter  larvie 
from  the  waters  of  oyst.'i-  areas  b\   means  of  a  plankton- 
uet.  and  connectinii-  tliem  in  serie-  with  yicuiirer  stau'es 
obtaincil    by    fertilization    and    culture    and    with    older 
-ta^es  obtained  bv  catchiim-  s])at  on  irlass.  shells,  etc..  so 
a-  to  make  out  the  com])lete  life-liisfory. 

'i'he  di.-eovcrv  that  the  hitherto  unknown  -taues  of  the 


-   .,■■  -..T^-  -fS.,'1-  -' 


N(.  .'.n 


rill     C.WMil  I  \     DYslIll 


31 


oyster  larva  can  Im'  coiiv  fiii<Mitl>  nlitaiiicd  liy  a  i>laiikti>ii 
iH't  carries  witli  it  tin-  |(n->iliility  ..t"  a  i-raetiral  a|>iili<"i 
tiori  "f  int'stiinahlf  \aliif  in  tln'  cnltiirf  n{  ov-tcrs.    From 
t!ic  time  ill'  the  caily  l{"!i!ai!   KiMpii-'  it   lia^  li,..'ii  kiiDwn 
that    nvstcr  si)at   can   sometimes   lie   ohtaiiicd   on   ropes, 
anchors,  jiiles  of  wliarves.  stones,  shells  or  other  natural 
or  artificial  ohjects  in  the  ^ea.  and  some  sort  of  methoil 
of  cnltMic  has  lonir  hceii  in  use  in  many  countries.     At 
times  men  have  risen  to  exaite<l  conceptions  of  the  possi 
hility  «if  findintr  a  i>racticaltle,  safe  and  sure  i-ictliod  <»f 
catchinir.  retaininir,  and  rearing  the  younp  spat.     T  i|Uott! 
W'inslow  to  the  effect  that  "'i'lioiisands  of  dollais  would 
]h'  annually  saveil  hy  ttie  Connecticut  oystermcn  if  tliey 
could   determine,   with   e\  en   appro\imate   accuracy,    tin' 
date   when   the  attachment    of  llie   younir  ovstei'   would 
occur.     Hundreds  of  thousands  would   he  saved   if  they 
Imtl  any  rdiaide  method  of  detcrminiiii;'  the  prolmliilities 
of  tlie  season."    This  is  now  possiide. 

It  is  well  known  that  oyster  or  other  shells  dried  am? 
whiteneti  in  tlie  sun  form  the  \cry  hest  oystercoileet(U-s 
or  cultch.  To  put  these  hack  into  the  water  liapha/ai'd 
has  often  resulteil  solely  in  the  loss  of  all  the  lahor  of 
proj)aration.  Iir  cncu  a  few  da\s  the>  ma\  become  cov- 
ei'ed  wiflr  a  slimy  coatiiiir  which  reiluces  or'  lari^ely 
destroys  their  etliciency.  The  jioirrt  is  to  he  ahle  to  deter 
mine  with  accuracy,  f(U-  each  seasoir  and  for-  e\'er-\  local- 
ity, when  o\  ster  laiNM'  are  pieseirt  in  tlie  water  full- 
iji'own  and  I'eady  to  settle  as  spat,  so  as  not  to  run  the 
risk  of  losiiii^  ade(|uate  value  foi'  the  laboriously  ]i|-e- 
pared  cultch.  -V  man  instructed  and  (|ualilied  in  tho 
method  of  taking  plankton  and  in  ideiitifvinu'  oyster- 
larva-  can  tell  almost  to  a  day  when  is  the  proper  tinu'  to 
put  out  cultch  so  as  to  obtain  an  abundant  and  copious 
sft  of  si)at.  It  is  not  enousjjh  to  know  aiiout  the  time,  or 
to  know  tiio  time  for  certain  previous  years,  oi-  to  know 
the  averaii^c  time. 

Three  methods  are  open  to  the  expert:  (1)  Examina- 
tion of  tlie  <renital  orirans  of  adult  oysters  to  determine 


H 


;v2 


////      iMh:HI(W   \  I777M//W  IVdi.  MAI 


uh.i,  llir  ciiu-  iirc  ripi',  (J)  cxiiiniiiatioii  of  llic  -•■a  water 
I.,  l.nni  if  c.>~tfi- lar\a'  ari'  ]>n-.cnt  ,m<l  in  "liat  >tau'i'. 
C!)  t'xainiiiatinii  ,<(  natural  <>r  iniprovisc  .1  (.lijects  iii  the 
water  til  ilixovci'  it'  y.-mitf  >pat  ate  alreaiiy  i'nrincd.  'riie 
lii>t  i>  rint  iiiim<Mliati'l>  (Ictcrmiiiativc  lic.'aii-i'  of  tlic  Ions; 
p.Tiu.l  ill'  i|fVflu|iniriit  -riiaiatiiii,'  Npawnini,'  an<l  spat- 
linir.  'I'lie  last  i^  n<it  very  ]irai'tiralilc  liceauM'  df  the  ilitli 
ciillv  uf  lindint;  an<l  ri  ruuni/.iiiu'  the  \<iMMi,'esl  spat  t)C'fort' 
the  jieriiid  is  i,'nne  hy  I'm-  piittiiiii'  nut  rulleh.  'I'he  second 
is  111,'  onlv  praeticahle  and  ron.iu^ive  method  and  its 
ellicieiicy  is  iirniKutioTuite  to  tlie  nunilier,  care  and  nc- 
,  iiiaey  of  the  i.liM'ivations.     li-  ^access  will  iuerease  with 

experience. 

'I'hi-  method  make>  u-e  of  tlie  e(il<i->al  nuiuhef  of  larviu 
lavishly  provided  hy  nature  to  <itTset  the  e\iu;en<'ies  and 
aeeidents  nf  life  and  in-ui-e  a  i-easoiuilile  ehanee  of  kw]<- 
in-  up  the  -lock.  1  helieve  that  all  the  larva'  an  army  of 
men  could  rai>"  up  and  tuin  into  the  sea  would  not  ma- 
terially alter  the  n\mil)er  of  succes.-ful  individuals  in  the 
set  of  spat.  r>ut  on  the  other  hand  a  few  ciUturists  could 
enoiniou-l>  increase  the  chances  for  a  >uccessful  catch 
hv  >preadinii  an  ahumlance  of  suitaitl.v  prejiared  cult<'h 
at  the  proper  time  and  place. 

in  the  paper  of  lHHit  1  have  descrihed  the  method  of 
elilainin^-  iilankton.  the  aiMiearauces  and  measurements 
of  the  (ivvter  laivM'  to  lie  recduni/.cd,  the  time  of  the  year 
to  he^'in  makiim-  olisersatioiis.  In  the  paper  on  "  IJivalve 
|.ar\a'"  1  distini,'ui>h  in  sizes,  sliapo,  colors,  tlie  com 
monly  occuirinu'  a--ociates  uf  the  oyster-larva'  winch 
nii.u'lit  he  taken  for  the  latter.  In  the  ]iresent  jiajier,  after 
Idiii,^  reflection.  1  suuu'ot  a  practical  apiili<ation  of  the 
kiiowledi^e  aciiuired. 

I  f-hould  not  omit  to  mention  that  th.'  jiaper  of  liUO 
connects  the  larva,  throuiih  the  youiii,M'st  microscoi.ic 
spat,  -with  tlio  macroscopic  spat  of  fisliermen  ami  linally 
with  the  adult.  Similarly  in  i:iii!t  I  perf.irnied  extensive 
artili<'ial-fertili/ation  exiieriments,  while  at  Sliediac. 
('ara(|uette  and  Malpe<iue.  in  order  to  connect  the  small- 


Nn   Ml] 


rill 


I  \    I/)/  I  \     (ly^  I  hi! 


18 


ot     l.lilllktnll    -times    III'    .i\  sttT  lalMI-    Willi    cllltlllr      iair«'S 

ami  tlirniiirli  tlir-c  liack  tn  IIm-  .•-:.'.  I,ai\,r  l»>  tin-  niilliit:; 
were  rcarrd  in  luaki  r>  of  -ca  water  at  a  temptTiitnif 
little  alinve  JO  ('.  and  witl!  a  -jieiilie  u'ravity  (saiiiiits  I 
\  aryiii«  x.niewliat  iindfi-  iDJd.  I  alxi  carriiMl  ( 'araiiiietle 
Dvsters  f(i  Mal|iei|iie  and  raided  up  larv:r  t'rian  ei,'i;>  ei(>» 
fcrtili/ed  lietween  two  -neji  i.liv  ii.ll-l>  dilfelent  \arietie-. 
as  tlie  small,  nairnw.  eur\  ed.  tliiek,  hard  and  heavy  ( 'arn 
qnette  oNstef  aiid  the  line,  laiKe.  liTiiad,  >traiulit.  <iean. 
.Ninootli  speeimens  rriini  tlie  (  iirtain  1-land  heils. 

In  i'^'.K)  and  ntztun  in  l'.l"'>  tlie  Canadian  (iov  einmeid 
Inid  .\tluntie  ny>tei>  tians-liiped  tu  the  I'a.ilir  and  put 
out  at  si'lected  plaee-.  ill  tile  latter  year  some  of  tlic 
jtlaees  were  clio-eii  h\  Captain  Kemp.  I'Spert  in  oNster 
culture. 

iieiiiiT  orrnpied  Ihi-  -uiiiiiier  at  oiir  I'anlic  r.iolo^Mcal 
Station,  I  have  taken  advantatre  (altlioufili  not  re(|iu'sted 
to  do  so)  of  my  proximity  to  three  of  these  nlaees  to 
search  for  tlie  transplanted  I'liiice  ivlward  Island 
oysters,  and  to  examine  plankton  taken  in  the  vicinity. 
At  tiie  lirst  place,  Hammond  itay.  heimr  a  small  liay  and 
close  to  hand,  I  could  easily  o\er  run  all  the  heach  at  low 
water,  and  soon  discovered  the  dead  shells  that  had  heen 
deposited  too  far  above  low- water  mark.  .\t  Nanoose 
Hay,  some  tv, e!ve  miles  away,  perha]>s  tive  miles  lout;  and 
a  mile  and  a  half  wide,  with  extensive  flats  at  low  tides, 
this  was  noL  so  easily  done.  Having  spent  three  suminers 
with  Captain  Kemp,  1  tlioi-ght  now  to  test  my  judgment 
of  where  he  wouhl  select  to  dejiosit  the  oysters.  As  the 
tide  wis  iinfavorahle  at  my  tirst  visit  1  used  the  ilredge, 
and  was  afterwards  surprised  to  learn  that  1  had  actually 
calculated  to  within  a  few  rods  of  the  jilace.  At  the 
second  visit  I  went  to  look  at  other  parts  of  the  hay,  iait 
on  the  thini  returned  and.  with  a  favorahle  tide.  coiiUi 
wade  and  i>ick  up  some  of  the  oysters.  This  was  at  .• 
P.  M.,  July  17.  and  1  took  Ki  tine  living  siieciiiieiis  of  the 
Malpcque  oyster  for  examination  two  or  three  of  them 
with  pieces  of  I'rince  Kdward  Island  red  samlstone  still 


34 


Tin:  AMEIUC.W  XAir'iAT.IST 


rvoi,.  xi.vi 


attached  to  tlu'iii.  Tlit'>-  varitMl  from  two  and  three 
fourtlis  to  live  Indies  in  lenjjtli,  some  of  tliem  sliowinj? 
,'onsi(leralile  j^rowtli.  This  ])roves  tliat  Atlantic  oysters 
can  be  trans) ihuited  to  the  racitic  and  remain  liealthy 
and  ^row.  I'pon  I'eachini:  home  '  proceeded  to  examine 
some  of  the  oysters  and  it  turned  out  that  onl>  one  ha<l 
airead>  spawned  wiiih'  tiie  otiier  litteen  were  ripe  and 
fjeiierally  somewiiat  distended  with  ejjj^s  or  s])erm. 
This  ))r()ves  that  tlie  trans))laiited  oysters  can  come  to 
maturity  and  rii)en  tlie  r  i>r()dnctive  eh'ments. 

At  7.10  1*.  M.  of  tlie  sanie  (Jay  I  j)ut  togetiier  cjr^'s  and 
sperm  in  a  tunihier  of  sea-water  and  at  7  A.  .\r.  next 
mornin<;  tiiere  was  an  alamdance  (tf  se,irmentatii>n  stajjes 
and  free-swimminj;  hu\a'.  Tiii>  proNcs  tiiat  tlie  oysters 
("in  spawn  and  that  the  e^'^s  can  develop  into  youiifr.  1 
make  these  statements  because  of  a  prc\ailinfj;  opinion 
that  the  transplanted  oysters  have  all  died,  and  the  few 
peojile  who  think  there  are  still  some  liviiiii'  are  do^Miuitic 
in  their  assertion  that  they  do  not  breed. 

Plankton  taken  at  intervals  at  Hammond  and  Nanoose 
l>ays  had  not  yielde(|  any  oystei'  larva',  which  became  ex- 
plainable upon  liudiiifir  the  condition  of  the  reproductive 
organs.  A  further  o))servatiou  on  this  was  afforded  on 
the  "Jtith  of  July,  when  I  examined  a  second  lot  (obtained 
at  a  very  low  I'de  *ho  day  before)  from  Nanoose  Bay. 
The  forty  seventh  oyster  examineil  was  the  first  to  yield 
iiood  ripe  eiifj;s — all  previous  ones  were  s])awned  with  the 
exception  of  four  or  fivi;  which  were  ri,  '  males.  The 
interval  between  these  two  visits  had  been  the  hottest  of 
file  summer  and  the  oysters  had  nearly  all  spawned  in 
this  i>eri()(l-  sliirlitly  later  than  is  usual  on  the  Atlantic. 
*  )n  the  27tli  1  made  a  tri))  to  Oyster  Harbor  (Ladysraith), 
iibout  fifteen  miles  from  here,  where  T  had  better  luck  in 
irettinii  ti'ack  of  tli"  few  transplanted  oysters.  Tn  a 
similai'  way  1  examined  several  individuals  and  took 
plankton  which  for  the  first  time  contained  larvjc  of  the 
Atlantic  oyster — recoiin'zable  by  their  slia))e  and  meas- 
urements but  not  pi'esentin.ii'  such  a  deeii  ))ink  or  brown 


I 


Xo.  .')41 1 


TUK  r.i.v  in/.i.v  orsirm 


36 


coloration  as  in  their  native  lionie.  For  comparison 
with  my  former  jiajjers  I  will  jrive  the  me..surements  oi 
a  sinjifle  specimen  with  tlie  characteristic  ])ostero-dorsal 
hi;;h  nmbos.  the  larffe  convex  kft  valve,  and  the  smaller 
and  flatter  ri^ht  valve,  velum,  foot,  pij?ment  spot  and  the 
rest.  ( )cular  V,  ohjective  4,  42  long  by  ."57  high 
(=^.28!)  X  .-55  mm.).  This  prov.-s  that  larva;  grow  up. 
There  is  only  one  other  bit  of  evidence  possible  and  that 
is  to  find  spat.  This  1  lia\e  not  done  as  yet.  It  is  too 
early  for  tliis  year's  spat  and  I  have  not  seen  any  un- 
doubted specimens  of  a  former  year's  spat.  One  can 
judge  that  the  comparatively  few  descendants  of  two 
and  a  half  barrels  dejjosited  at  Hammond  Bay.  five 
barrels  at  Xanoose  l^ay.  and  one  barrel  at  Oyster 
Harbor,  when  dis]iersed  over  the  broad  areas  at  their 
command,  would  not  pi'ove  very  conspicuous  objects, 
which  is  again  complicated  by  the  presence  of  millions  of 
British  Columbian  oysters  of  varying  sizes,  shapes,  and 
comjilexions. 

I  regard  my  findings  as  conclusive  and  would  urge  the 
transplanting  of  Atlantic  oysters  (Osfrra  rirqinica 
Gmel.)  to  the  Pacific  in  greater  quantities.  Tlie  At- 
lantic clam  (MjKi  (ire)iiiriii  Fj.)  has  projiagated  enor- 
mously here  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  it  has  more 
comi)etitors  in  its  jiarticuiar  habit  than  in  its  original 
home. 

Ostrni  liiriila  Carp. — Even  before  making  any  head- 
way in  the  foi-egoing  researches,  I  had  begun  to  gather 
information  on  the  occurrence,  size,  shape,  color,  struc- 
ture, breeding,  etc..  of  the  British  Columbia  oyster. 

This  s])ecies  is  not  common  in  Dejiarture  Bay,  or  in 
Hannnond  Bay,  but  a  few  sjiocimens  may  be  found  under 
stones  exposed  at  about  one  hour  from  low  water  in 
front  of  the  C.  P.  R.  caitle  house  in  the  former,  and  just 
inside  the  far  point  of  the  latter,  and  are  usually  so 
broadly  and  solidly  attached  (with  the  left  valve  against 
the  under  side  of  the  stone  and  hence  uppermost)  that  it 
is  scarcely  possible  to  separate  them  without  destroying 


:i6 


I  in:  AMHiiK  w  xMrnAi.i>r 


Vol..  M.VI 


.--£.  ■ .  _sr  .  -S 


the  attaclied  siirt'iicc.  Hut  on  tlic  extensive  Hats  at  the 
upper  ends  of  Xanoose  I'.ay  and  of  Oyster  llarlior  tliey 
occur  free  on  tlie  surface  hy  thousands  and  more  or  leas 
covered  with  harnacU's. 

(lood  si)eciniens  reacli  two  inciies  in  leiifftli  t)y  an  inch 
and  a  lialf  in  hreadth.  witli  a  straiirlit  dorsal  niarf,'in  and 
a  semicircular  ventral  curvature.  The  right,  upper  or 
smaller  valve  is  nearly  Hat  or  hut  little  convex  and  (its 
into  the  margins  of  the  larger,  convex,  lower  or  left  valve, 
the  greater  part  of  tlie  lower  and  posterior  margin  being 
scalloped,  while  the  left  valve  has  corresponding  ridges 
and  points.  The  color  is  usually  dark  (those  under 
stones  lighter)  with  the  older  parts  weathered  grayish 
and  the  umhoiuil  region  of  the  left  valve  is  often  attached 
to  a  small  stone  or  another  oyster  or  hears  a  scar.  In- 
ternally the  shell  is  extensively  iiigmented,  dark,  with 
smaller  hands  or  hlotches  of  lighter  ])earl.  while  the 
muscle  scar  is  lather  lighte"  and  handed.  The  mantle  is 
broadly  margined  with  dark,  whicli  nuiv  also  creep  up 
on  to  the  abdomen. 

The  most  interesting  feature  in  connection  with  the 
Pacific  oyster  of  Canada  is  its  divergence  in  some  re- 
spects from  the  mode  of  breeding  of  our  Atlantic  species. 
In  the  British  Columbia  form  there  is  no  jirimary  sepa- 
ration of  individiuds  into  males  and  females — the  sexes 
are  united  in  eacli  individual.  In  other  w<»rds  each  in- 
<lividual  is  bisexiud,  moncecious  or  hermai)hrodite.  In 
this  resi)ect  it  is  identical  with  the  English  or  c(mimon 
European  species  (O.strea  eduUs  L.). 

My  first  observations  were  made  on  duly  li',  ou 
sjH'cimens  ])rocured  under  stones  near  the  Biological 
Station.  Nearly  all  ajipeared  to  be  males,  and,  as  they 
were  of  small  size.  I  took  it  that,  as  commonly  occurs, 
the  males  hatl  ripened  earliest.  But  one  was  of  medium 
size  and  contained  eggs  that  at  once  attracted  my  atten- 
tion on  account  of  their  large  size,  ojiacity  and  rare  ex- 
hibition of  nucleus.  Measured  exactly  as  all  my  former 
measurements,  these  gave:  Oc.  V.  ol).i.  2      (1.5;  Oc.  V, 


* 


N( 


'411 


Tin:  c.wMti  i\   nysTEn 


37 


(it.j.  4  1.');  (>c.  \',  oli.j.  7  72.  Aiiotlicr  iii<iiviflual,  ob- 
tiiiiH'd  since,  with  iui  ii'miidaiice  of  oirj^s  oozing  from  the 
(ividiict.  pun'  ami  ripe,  jjavc  the  ahnost  iiiivaryitig  moas- 
ureinciit  of  tlic  cfijr  as:  ()c.  ^^  ohj.  7  75.  Tiiis  wlien 
oaicuiatcd    is    75x1.45^      108.75/t  sli,ijiitl\    over    .1 

mill.  slisjiitly  ovor  ',L'.-.i>  inch  -  fully  twice  the  diameter 
(if  the  efifj  of  the  Atlantic  oyster,  and  perhaps  identical  in 
size  with  the  e<i<j  of  the  Mnglish  oyster. 

In  making  measurements  it  is  important  to  use  only 
ripe  egf?s.  as  in  this  case,  and  to  select  those  that  are 
spherical  or  nearly  so  and  not  flattened  by  the  weif^th  of 
the  eoverslij),  as  well  as  to  extend  the  measurements  to 
many  individuals  in  order  to  exclude  all  itossiliility  of  a 
>lip.  The  nucleus  is  between  one  half  and  two  thirds 
the  diameter  of  the  cfiir. 

Upon  turning  particularl>  to  spermatozoa  I  found 
them  in  every  individual — even  between  tlie  eggs  of  those 
containing  eggs  in  tlie  gonad.  The  younger  indivi<luals 
liad  no  ova,  but  ail  s]ierms.  Some  of  the  older  ones  had 
a  few  big,  soft,  opa(|ue,  irregular,  elliptical,  oval  or 
nearly  spliei'ical  eggs,  scattered  among  irregular  ma-ses 
of  less  tiian  half  their  size,  which  are  halls  of  spermatids 
on  tlie  way  to  development  into  spermetozoa.  One  of 
these  measured  4(5^  <  40^.  and  each  one  is  ke])t  in  a 
dancing  or  rolling  movement,  somewhat  like  that  of  many 
infusoria,  by  tlie  flajiiting  of  the  tails  of  the  ripening 
sperms  on  the  surface.  Between  these  masses  are  mib 
lions  of  mature,  free,  dancing  sjiermatozoa,  of  whicb  the 
tails  are  rai'ely  visible  until  one  searches  for  them  with 
a  high  i)ower.  I  have  not  yet  made  extensive  measure- 
ments of  the  sperm  on  account  of  the  di'Ticulty  of  measur- 
ing such  exceedingly  small  objects  with  certainty,  but  1 
believ(>  the  sjierm  of  the  Rritish  Columbia  oyster  is 
smaller  than  that  of  the  Prince  Edward  Isbvnd  oyster, 
which  may  have  some  relation  to  the  particular  mode  of 
fertilization,  such  as  being  introduced  by  the  respiratory 
current.  Tn  some  ]>arts  of  the  gonad  ova  may  be  plenti- 
ful.  whil(>   at   other   parts   there   are   only    sperm-balls. 


k 


5^ 


38 


I  in:  .\Mh:ni(\\  .v.i/r/,M/./>/ 


1  Vol..  xi-vi 


Later,  in  tlu-  waniicr  wcatlicr,  tlic  siicriu  may  be  pretty 
well  iiiii  off  and  tlic  n'i)r(>(liictivc  orj^Mii  coiitaiii  mostly 
t'f^irs.  In  tliis  way  tlic  yonnf^iT  oysters,  and  tlu'  older 
oysters  at  tlie  l)e<,'iuninfr  «>f  the  season,  may  lu-  physio- 
lojii.ally  males,  wliile  ol(ler  oysters  at  tlie  !iei-!it  of  tl\e 
breeding  season  may  be  pliysioloj^ically  females. 

Oysters    from    liaimnond    l?ay    siiowed   the   ^ame   plie 
iiomeiia. 

rpoii  tinditiir  an  aiumdanee  of  hujjer  oysters  on  ttie 
surface  at  Nanoose  Hay,  I  brought  horn-  a  iKiil-full  of 
picked  si.eciiiiens  to  serve  as  a  convenient  stock  for  ob- 
servation and  experiment.  On  .Inly  Hi  T  fo'ind  a  sj) -ci 
men  with  periiaps  half  a  teasi)oonfnl  of  e.i!;,i,'s  in  various 
sta,i,'es  of  sejrmentation,  lyinj?  free  in  the  lower  valve— a 
mass  of  white  granules.  The  v\]M'  ejrffs  ooze  into  the 
infra  brancliial  cavity  and  lie  on  and  l)etween  the  sills, 
(.  (..  between  tiie  two  folds  of  the  mantle,  where  they  are 
retaiiKMl  apparently  without  any  retaininir,  sticky  matrix. 
1  sniipose  that  it  is  here  they  tirst  meet  with  riix'  si^erms 
from  other  individuals,  for  T  do  not  believe  tiiat  at  this 
time  the  sjierms  of  tiie  same  individual  are  physio- 
loirically  capable.  The  whole  oy>ter  a]ipears  exhausted, 
the  wills  rent,  the  tlesh  collai>sed,  soft  and  jiarts  of  it 
almost  rotten.  On  .Inly  24  I  ojiened  one  hundred  of 
the  stock  siijiply  and  found  six  with  ejrss,  embryos  or 
conchiferous  younir,  in  the  infra-branchial  cavity.  .\11 
the  other-  were  in  ])rocess  of  sy),.rnioiienesis  and 
oofjenesis. 

An  experiment  that  has  often  seemed  ]iossible  to  me  is 
to  do  the  same  with  the  Euroi»ean  oyster,  by  way  of 
artificial  fertilization,  as  T.rooks  did  with  the  American 
oyster.  Now  that  T  hatl  an  oyster  essentially  the  same  as 
tiie  European  T  tried  it,  and  ^\ith  seeming  success,  but 
of  course  it  is  difficult  to  be  sure  that  sperm  from  another 
liad  not  already  hail  access  to  the  esgs.  Unripe  eugs 
are  no  good;  eggs  already  freed  from  the  gonad  may 
have  come  in  contact  -with  sperm.  This  restricts  one  to 
finding  a  specimen  .just  before  but  ,iust  im  the  point  of 


-^l 


i 


-^'^  -  vr-  I 


-.^v ■^.  '^'J^-:^^ 


No..>»l| 


Tin-:    (\i\'AI)I.\.\    OYSIKH 


39 


cxtnidiiif?  its  Cliffs.  I  jilso  tried  Atlantif  oyster  eijffs 
with  Piicilic  ()\-ter  >|ienris.  as  well  as  Atlantic  oyster 
>pei'iiis  witli  Pacific  u\  stei'  effffs,  hilt  witiuiut  success,  as 
.irie  laifflit  siippose.  I  put  effff>.  eiiiiiryos  and  larva-  of 
hoth  s](ecies  tciffet her  under  the  same  coverslip  for  coiu- 
parisoii  -those  of  tlie  snuill  I'.ritisli  Coluinhia  oyster 
Inokinff  like  yiants  heside  tliose  of  tlie  larffe  Prince  Kd 
ward  Island  oy>ter.  Tliis  is  a  curious  pheiiomenoii 
which  I  ha\c  several  times  oliserxcd  on  other  s])ecies. 
I.  (I.,  the  ver>  laiffe  effffs  of  Astarte  comi)ared  with  tiie 
small  eirffs  of  iariic  species  liko  Mactra. 

I'or  the  >tlld\  o|'  >ci;inentatioll.  etc.,  the  Athmtic  species 
i~  of  .I'K  antaffe  on  account  of  smaller  si/.e  and  ffrt'atcr 
( ran-paieiicy.  The  order  of  sejiiiieiitation  ajipcars  to  he 
tlie  same  in  hoth  both  ^iiliject  to  xariatioiis  such  that  it 
would  re(|nire  a  i;reat  iiuiiiiier  of  paiustakiiii;-  ohsei'va 
lions  to  decide  exactl>  wliat  is  tlie  normal  mode  in  ffood 
heaitiiv  euus.  I  havf.  on  hoth  sides  of  this  continent, 
^ji.'nt  coiisideialile  time  in  tiyinu'  to  determine  the  order 
ot'  sei;nielitation.  the  cell-lineaye,  the  planes  of  cleasaye. 
the    sncressidii    (if    nuclei,    tile    et"i'e<'t     of    Ufa vitat ioll.    the 

constant  and  continuous  orientation  of  successive  stages, 
the  origin  of  the  sliell-ffland  and  tiie  niede  of  formation 
of  the  shell,  etc.,  hut  can  not  discuss  such  suh.jects  here. 
I  ma\  hrietix  state,  however,  that  1  lielie\e  Hrooks  failed 
to  observe  the  shell  ffland,  in  his  orii^iiial  work,  and  at 
one  ]iaiticiilar  staiic  mistook  the  relation  of  the  sliell- 
\al\cs  to  the  blastopore  which  made  it  necessary  to  re- 
verse his  orientation  of  the  embryo- -luauo  bis  use  of  the 
terms  dorsal  and  ventral  are  niisleadins;.  The  polar 
bodies  are  dorsal  at  first  later,  if  tlie>  ]iersist.  they  ma\ 
become  displaced  anteriorlv .  'I'he  blasto])ore  is  xcntral. 
the  velum  anterior,  the  sliell-,s;land  dorsal,  the  mouth 
ventral,  'i'lnu'e  is  no  foot.  iKU'  rudiment  of  it  in  jire- 
conchiferons  stages. 

I  have  found  conchiferous  youiiir  of  the  P.ritish  Colum- 
bia oyster  retained  within  the  parent's  slieil  until  their 
own  minute  shells  wore  .loS  mm.   in  length.     I    belicM- 


40 


I  HE  .\MFliir.\X  XATlltMlsT  |  Vol..  XLVI 


•->.■-! 


gV:^ 


m 


they  remain  longer,  for,  acconlinjr  to  Mobins  the  younp 
of  tlu'  KuroiM-an  oyster  leaves  tlie  parent  at  a  size  of  .I'l 
to  18  mm.  (Horst  ^ves  .!(!  mm.;  ITnxley  '1,v.  inch).  I 
have  taken  larva>  of  ().  lundn  in  i-huikton  (identified  by 
comimrison  with  those  from  a  parent,  and  also  by  the 
strneture.  shape  and  size)  of  a  len.utl,  of  .ICf)  mm.  as  well 
as  different  hir-er  sizes.  Tliey  still  had  a  straisl't-hmRe 
line  of  half  tlie  len-th  of  tlie  sliell  -  unlike  the  0.  nnn»'r,i 
whieh  at  this  size  is  already  passing  into  the  un.bo-stas;." 
and  with  a  nuieh  sla.rter  hintre  line.  The  larva>  of  O. 
hiiuhi  are  not  pink  or  brown  but  have  tive  or  six  dark 
blotches  in  tlie  re^'ion  of  tlie  liver  and  in  the  velum,  m 
eontrast  to  the  -eiieral  liirht  shade  of  tlie  rest  of  the 
animal. 


i 


am 


